Common Reveals He Was Molested As A Child In New Memoir

Photo Credit: David Andrako

The memoir, Let Love Have the Last Word, was released May 7.

In his recently released memoir Let Love Have the Last Word, Common opens up about being molested as a child.

According to People, the 47-year-old rapper and actor revealed in the book that the memory of being molested as a kid came about while workshopping a scene with actress Laura Dern for their roles in The Tale.

"One day, while talking through the script with Laura, old memories surprisingly flashed in my mind," he writes. "I caught my breath and just kept looping the memories over and over, like rewinding an old VHS tape…I said 'Laura, I think I was abused.'"

From there, Common recounts how the alleged molestation took place when he was 9 or 10 years-old.

Trigger Warning: Graphic description of an instance of childhood sexual assault below.

"I was excited for a road trip I was about to take with my family. My mother; my godmother, Barbara; her son and my godbrother Skeet; and his relative, who I'll call Brandon…," he writes before going on to say that he and Brandon had to share a bed together for one night after arriving at his aunt's house in Cleveland.

"At some point I felt Brandon's hand on me," he writes. "I pushed him away. I don't remember saying a whole lot besides 'No, no, no.'"

"He kept saying 'It's okay, It's okay,' as he pulled down my shorts and molested me. After he stopped he kept asking me to perform it on him," Common continues. "I kept repeating 'No' and pushing him away. I felt a deep and sudden shame for what happened."

"I just pushed the whole thing out of my head," he continues. "Maybe it's a matter of survival — Even now, two years after that flash resurgence of memories, as I'm writing, I'm still working through all of this in myself and with my therapist."

Common goes on to share that he hasn't spoken with the person he dubs Brandon about the incident but he does forgive him.

"I want to be a person who helps break cycles of violence," he writes. "This is love in action and I intend to practice it."

The rapper also discussed the incident on a recent episode of Good Morning America.

"It was something that I didn't know if I wanted to talk about. But I really believe that in telling my story, other people will be OK with talking about that situation," Common explained to Robin Roberts.

Source: People